Strength of a Victor
by MMJ.Rich
Summary: 6 months ago Maple Serena fought her way through the Hunger Games and came out on the other side. She thought she was safe, but after a tragic accident and the loss of somebody who meant so much to her she will need to find the strength to keep pushing on. Sequel to Story of a Tribute. Rated T for violence and language used. (On hold)
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Welcome to the much awaited sequel to 'Story of a Tribute'. If you have not yet read that then you may want to go back and read that first or you may be lost.**

 **This first chapter is small only because it's to give insight to what happened at the end of 'Story of a Tribute'. The chapters will be along longer from here on out.**

 **Enjoy!**

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Dark clouds fill the sky, threatening to release the rain that had been gathering for the past week. People in black are stood all around me, my hand gripping Venia's and my dad's arm around me but I have never felt more alone.

"Ladies and gentlemen we are here today to pay respect to Andre Pears. A man of honour who always fought for what is right."

Just hearing his name forms a lump in my throat and I have to fight back the urge to break down. Not here. Not now. We all take a moment of silence as his coffin is lowered into the ground and my mind rushes back to that day 4 weeks ago.

* * *

 _My head feels like something had just exploded in it...exploded...the train! Just opening my eyes is a task but when they are open I am staring up at a white ceiling._

" _Maple?" a voice breaks through but still sounds miles away. "Maple it's me, dad." Dad! I turn my head and see him sitting next to me. My senses start coming back to me and I feel a tiny hand holding onto mine. I look further down and smile at Venia who's eyes are red and puffy._

" _Hey little bird" I croak. My throat is dry and my tongue feels like sandpaper. She smiles back and for a second I forget about all the pain. "D-dad, what happened?" I ask._

" _You don't need to worry about that right now. Just rest" he replies and so I do. I close my eyes and sleep. I don't know how long I sleep but it's enough time for the nightmares to come flooding in. The first is Oak laying at my feet, his back torn open from the axe in my hand. Then comes Alex with her head caved in and Chip and Thorn stand behind her, their eyes missing from their sockets. Then I see Glitz holding her head under his arm. She is laughing and then turns into a giant snake and wraps her body around me, constricting the life out of me._

 _I shoot up in my head and pain rips through my body and I can't stop the screams that bellows out and echoes throughout the room. Doctors and nurses rush in instantly and are pinning me down but behind them I can still see Glitz with a wicket smirk plastered on the face of her severed head._

 _I am sedated after that and I spend the next week in and out of conciousness. I am finally given the all clear and dad comes to see me._

" _Dad, tell me what happened" I demand for the 100th time this week. He lets out a deep sigh before taking my hand._

" _Somebody sabotaged the train Maple" he says, "they don't know when or who but they planted bombs that would go off when the doors open." Angry is not enough to explain how I feel right now. Why? Who would do that? Then two faces flash through my mind._

" _Andre and Merinatta!" I shout but then break out into a coughing fit. I look into dad's eyes and I know something bad has happened. "No..." I say and feel tears spring to my eyes. I shake my head vigorously and close my eyes. No, this can't be happening._

" _I'm sorry sweet heart. The doctors did all they could but the injuries to both of them were too severe" he says but I can barely listen. He is gone...they are gone and I won't see either of them again. It hits me like a ton of bricks and I just start crying._

* * *

I am left alone at the grave now. I stare down at the oak coffin with his name engraved on a plaque. "Goodbye" I say as I step forward and drop a single rose on the coffin before turning away. I see dad and Venia down the slope leading to the gateway to the graveyard.

Nobody still knows who sabotaged the train even with the Capitol's best detectives on the case. They have narrowed it down to District 3 or 6 but whoever did it left no traces. But the Capitol don't take too kindly to people who try and succeed to kill not only 1 of their own but 2 victors so they won't stop looking until they are brought to justice and on that day I will be standing there.

"Let's go home" Dad says as I link my arm through his and take Venia's hand.

I will spend forever missing Andre.


	2. Chapter 2

_Dear Diary_

 _It's been a tough six months. The Victory Tour starts today. I am not looking forward to it at all._

 _The nightmares are still frequent, I don't think they will ever go away. Venia has grown so much in the past months, she is looking like mum a lot. For an eleven year old she sure acts like a woman, sometime more than me._

 _I went to see Andre and Oak today. I can still hear their voices in my head so with a little imagination I can hear them reply. Dad keeps saying it is not healthy to keep going there every day but it helps with the pain._

 _It hit me this morning that I am going to be the only living victor in the district, I don't know how I am going to do it..._

 _I guess I should be getting ready now, the cameras arrive at noon._

I look up from the diary and turn to the window and catch sight of a blackbird on the snow covered rooftop of an empty victors house. It was Andre's house but it's empty now. They just dumped his belongings as he had no family, I managed to grab a few pictures though. I turn to the pictures up on a cork board hanging above my desk. There is a picture of him as a kid surrounded by his chilhood friends from the community home. Another of him on his reaping day, he doesn't look happy being there but it is still him. Another of him standing with a few other victors and a final one, the latest picture of him a few days before I was reaped. I will be taking that one with me today.

I take the picture off of the board and slip it into my pocket before leaving the bedroom and heading downstairs to the living room. It's a cosy room, set up like our old home. Venia is taking some dead flowers from a vase on the fire place and gran is knitting on her chair like she always is.

"Morning" I say as I walk over to Venia and plant a kiss atop her head, "how you doing little bird?" I ask.

"Morning" she replies and turns to me, "good. Just need to replace some of the flowers. Dad a Fern are in the kitchen" she says then gets back to taking out the dead flower. Gran gives me a huge toothless smile as I which is return and then head into the kitchen.

"Hey sweetheart" Dad says. I smile and take a seat and Fern places a cup of coffee in front of me.

"Thanks" I say.

"Do you want some breakfast?" she asks but I shake my head.

"I don't think I will be able to keep it down" I say and look down at the dark liquid in the mug. I can feel both of their eyes on me. "Don't look at me like that" I say and look up to see sympathy in their eyes, "please...I am a big girl, I can get through this..." _I hope._

The next hour flies by and before I know it there are capitol stylists flooding my house as well as Zayla Sparx, the new escort for district 7. "Darling sweetie" she says as he pulls me in for a hug. If feels like hugging a bag of bones. I have met her once, during Merinetta's funeral. Back then she was wearing all black but right now she has on a white fluffy jacket with an icy blue dress. Her silver hair is slicked back with specks of glitter, I guess she came to match the snow.

"Hey" I reply as she lets go.

"We have a long busy day ahead of us sweetie darling" she says and drags me into the living room with Carvo, Cat and Sibley in tow. "Darius will be with us shortly but for now we will get you made up." I give Carvo, Cat and Sibley a hug before they get to making me over. Zayla falls in love with Venia just like everyone does upon meeting her. I smile as they start talking about fashion and the Capitol. Sibley shouts at me to keep still when I start laughing after Venia told a joke that went completely over Zayla's head.

Not long after my make-up is done Darius joins us with a clothes bag. I greet him with a hug and we both head up to my bedroom where he reveals a simple outfit. A black tunic with a fur collard brown leather jacket with furred cuffs. A pair of black skinny jeans and dark brown leather boots. Perfect for this weather. I dress and then he gets to work on my hair. He first braids it and we talk about how our lives have been. He then clips it up into a bun.

"There, all done" he says. I stand and look into the full body length mirror. The first thing I notice are my eyes. Dark make-up lines them making me look dangerous. My lips a simple pink tone and my skin showing no scars from the train accident. I grab the photo of Andre from my other jacket and slip it into the new one.

"I love it" I say and turn to hug him once more.

"Good, because its too late to change it now" he says and we both share a laugh. I hear a commotion outside so I look out the window to see the camera men sitting up a large antenna looking camera, "your audience awaits" he says and we both head down. Dad, Fern and Venia are standing in the hall way, Venia and Fern crying silently but smiling.

I go over and we all share a hug, "I will see you all soon" I say and have to force back my own tears. I don't feel prepared for this for one second but I put on a brave face. I kneel down and kiss Venia on the forehead, "I love you little bird" I say and we share a separate hug. I let go just as the door bursts open. We all turn to see a girl, far all red and tears in her eyes.

"Oh good, I didn't miss you" she says.

"Ally" I say and we share share a hug, "what took you so long" I say as we part.

"You try getting here from the Brookes in the snow" she says referring to the part of town she lives. I just laugh and hug her again.

"I will see you when I return. You can come stay with me for a few days" I say and she nods and joins my family, taking Venia's hand. I head into the living room and hug gran, "bye-bye gran" I say and she kisses my cheek before letting go.

"Alright, alright. Time is running out, we need to go" Zayla says.

"Alright, I am coming" I say and say a final goodbye before leaving the house. I suddenly hear Caesar's voice and a camera is in my face.

"Hello Maple" he says followed by a loud cheer. I look around confused and the camera men point towards another camera. I look and put on my best smile.

"Hello Caesar. How are you?" I say as I walk down the pathway getting closer to the camera.

"Very good now that I get to talk to you" he says.

"Oh, I bet you say that to every victor" I reply and we both share a laugh, only mine is fake.

"How have you been Maple?" he asks.

"Coping" I reply and take a deep breath, no longer able to hold up the smile, "coping" I say again only this time it was more of a whisper.

"Yes, I can imagine. After the tragic train accident" he says. "But let's not dwell on the negative. Are you looking forward to the tour?" he asks.

"I am Caesar. It will be great to get away from the snow" I reply and force a laugh that the Capitol seems to buy judging from the enormous cheer that follows.

"Yes, it does look a bit chilly there so we won't hold you any longer" he says and I quickly thank the gods. "Ladies and gentlemen give another applause for Maple Serena who we will see again very soon." The applause is mind blowing and the cameras pan off to the left. I let out a giant sigh I had been holding in.

"Right, come now dear, the car is waiting" Zayla says and practically drags me into the black car parked to my left. The doors close after everyone is in and I take one last look at my family standing at the front door waving. I wave back and don't turn away until they are out of sight. I zone out everyone's voices as we pass the town square, the train station and graveyard. I mutter a goodbye to Andre and Oak and then we are at the landing pad.

The Capitol are not trusting the train after what happened so instead we are travelling by hovercraft which I have no arguments against. I haven't been able to look at the train station without panicking. I leave the car and board the hovercraft, turning and taking a last look at my home before the hatch closes.

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 **AN: I would like to thank those who read the first chapter and to SylviaHunterOfArtemis for reviewing.**

 **Until next chapter~**


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